AN IMMUNOMARKING TECHNIQUE FOR LABELING MINUTE PARASITOIDS

A laboratory study was conducted to examine the efficacy of a novel im munomarking technique on Annaphies iole Girault, a minute parasitoid o f Lygus spp, eggs. Adult A. iole were marked with the readily availabl e mammal protein, rabbit immunoglobulin G (IgG), by 3 different applic ation methods. Adult parasitoids were marked internally by feeding the m a honey solution spiked with rabbit IgG and externally by contact ex posure or topical mist. Marked individuals were then assayed using a s andwich enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) for the presence of the IgG marker using an antibody specific to rabbit IgG (antirabbit Ig G developed in goat). Data indicate that the IgG marker was retained t hroughout the entire adult lifespan iri almost (98.9%) even individual parasitoid assayed regardless of the application method used. The adv antages and limitations of using immunomarkers for mark-release-recapt ure studies involving minute insects are discussed.